Mildred and Ethel watched in horror from the large window of the counselling office as Elena disappeared behind Walker's Gate, broom and briefcase in tow, ready for her leave of absence, with her long hair streaming behind her.
Immediately upon sensing that she was gone, they raced down the corridors of Cackle's Academy, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls for they did not care who they woke up. The urgency of their mission filled the air, each step driven by the desperate need to reach Miss Cackle before it was too late. Clutched tightly in Mildred's hand was the incriminating piece of paper, as well as her handwritten note, which they had found in Miss Ravenscroft's office, the evidence that could save Miss Hardbroom.
"We have to hurry, Millie," Ethel urged, her usually composed demeanour shattered by the gravity of the situation as panic filled her voice. She had not expected everything to unfold so quickly, especially less than six hours after Miss Hardbroom's departure. "Every second counts!"
"I know, Ethel," Mildred panted, her heart pounding. "I just hope we're not too late. She's probably halfway down to Cornwall by now."
Eventually, they turned a corner and skidded to a halt in front of the Great Hall which happened to directly overlook the courtyard as the pair ran straight into Miss Cackle. The headmistress had just bid Elena a safe journey and was clearly in the middle of returning back to her quarters, dressed head to toe in fluffy pyjamas. Without pausing to apologise for their boisterous appearance, Mildred threw herself at Amelia, bursting into her personal space with Ethel right behind her.
"Miss Cackle!" Mildred cried, her voice filled with a mix of fear and determination.
Amelia Cackle stared at the unlikely pair in disbelief, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of them. "Mildred, Ethel, what on earth is going on? You should be in bed at this hour!"
Ignoring her headmistress, Mildred thrust the piece of paper into Miss Cackle's hands without muttering another word. "You have to see this, Miss Cackle. It's about Miss Ravenscroft. She's not who she says she is, and she's planning something terrible."
"Mildred Hubble, you cannot be serious! I warned you earlier that I wanted to hear no more on the matter, and - "
"BUT SHE'S GOING TO HURT CONSTANCE!" Mildred screamed, tears falling from her eyes as her frustration overpowered her. Never in all her time at the academy had Miss Cackle failed them so badly and she wasn't going to forgive her for it any longer. "Look, I know that you're also traumatised after last year, especially when you saw HB in so much pain, but it doesn't mean that you can live in your own little bubble forever to deny the possibility of anything bad ever happening again, because someone is going to get hurt! The truth is that Elena has gone after her right now, and if you had so much as a shred of respect for the woman who clearly thinks the world of you, then you'll get off your damn arse and listen to me for once in your life instead of being so ignorant, because she's in danger either way!"
Miss Cackle's expression shifted from shock to concern as she picked up the paper, looking slightly timid under Mildred's menacing gaze and lengthy lecture. She adjusted her glasses and began to read, her face growing paler with each passing second. "This... this is a plan to hurt someone. At least that's what it looks like!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with shock as her delusional shield finally crumbled after months of desperately withholding it.
Ethel nodded, her usually sharp voice softening with worry. "We found it in Miss Ravenscroft's office. There's more, but we couldn't get it all, so we've tried to piece it together the best we can. She's dangerous, Miss Cackle. We have to stop her. I know we cannot prove it and I know you didn't believe anything earlier, but Mildred is right, and she loves Miss Hardbroom so please trust her. She's an intuwitch for goodness sake!"
"WHAT? An intuwitch!?" Amelia cried, momentarily distracted by the obscene claim. "Ethel, that is practically unheard of! And Miss Hardbroom is safe at home, isn't she? This doesn't say anything about her either…"
"That doesn't matter now, and yes, it does!" Mildred shouted, snatching the note back and pointing down at it. "Miss Cackle, look at the M and the H written in bold. Look at the numbers, or should I say the date, it all relates to us - to MilBroom - to Mildred and Miss Hardbroom!" Mildred pleaded, grabbing Amelia's arms in desperation. "Miss Ravenscroft knows where Constance lives because it's all on file. She knows she's at home at the moment, and if you look at the last part of the note, you cannot honestly believe she has gone home at the exact same time by mere coincidence! She's planned all this because she's seeking revenge for Mistress Broomhead's death - she's a psychopath, and you took her into this school, so take her out again!" Mildred rambled, carefully pointing out all the little snippets of the note which linked to her and Constance, explaining her reasoning behind each one as she presented the full encoded message.
Miss Cackle stood up, her face set with determination and shame. "We must act immediately then. How do we contact Constance? We need to bring her back here to keep her safe."
"By phone?" Ethel questioned. "She won't pick up on the magic mirror or through a crystal ball if she's asleep, but a phone will surely wake her up? It's quicker than anything else."
"No, that won't work. She doesn't have a phone. She doesn't even have electricity. Trust me, I know, I lived with her for three months and I almost went insane during the process" Mildred elaborated to Ethel who raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
"Is there anyone else we could contact?" Amelia questioned in desperation. "Does she have family or friends in the village who could go and check in on her?"
"No, she doesn't...but wait - I do!" Mildred cried after a few seconds of calculating. "Take me to your phone Miss Cackle...I know exactly who to call." She claimed, as the three of them scrambled up the winding staircase towards the headmistress' office.
-x-
Meanwhile, somewhere far away from Mildred's harrowing discovery at the castle, Constance Hardbroom sat alone in her small, cozy cottage in Cornwall, completely oblivious that someone was out to hurt her. She was gently rocking back and forth in her favourite purple arm chair, the crackling fire doing little to warm the chill in her heart as she felt completely defeated at present. To distract herself, she gazed out the window at the wild, rugged coastline, the waves crashing against the rocks with relentless force. The isolation, usually a source of solace, only deepened her sense of frustration and discontent as she found herself unable to sleep. Being sent home from Cackle's Academy felt like a banishment, a punishment for something as human as struggling. Most of all though, she felt an impending sense of guilt as she regretted how she had left without saying goodbye to Mildred. She thought she was doing the right thing at first, as saying goodbye for two weeks would make her teary and she wanted to remain strong for Mildred's sake, but now she felt weak, for she had resorted back to typical Constance behaviour by shutting people out.
Deep in thought, she sipped her tea, the warmth spreading through her, but it did nothing to ease the aching in her body. Amelia had insisted she take time to rest and recover, but Constance felt only a growing sense of unease, for Amelia didn't even know the true extent of her issues, especially her declining physical health. She was a formidable witch, not someone to be coddled and pitied, but she hated the fact that no one knew how to help her.
A sudden knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Constance frowned, setting her teacup down before pushing herself forwards with considerable effort. It was rare for her to have visitors for she lived outside of the village, especially unannounced ones this late at night. She rose from her chair and made her way to the door, her senses alert.
Opening the door, she was surprised to find none other than Wolf Hemmingstone standing there, looking slightly disheveled and out of breath. "You're Mildred's mother, right? Miss Hardbroom?" the young boy asked, his voice trembling with urgency.
"Yes? If you're looking for Mildred you won't find her here, boy, she's at boarding school" Constance stated bluntly, irritated for she had told Wolf she would turn him into a toad if he set foot here again, and she hoped he remembered it.
"I'm so sorry to disturb you, but Mildred rang me. She said something about danger...you or her...about needing your help...or you needing hers? I think you should come down to the village to speak to her yourself through my phone. Please, I know you don't trust me, but it sounded urgent!" Wolf rambled, tripping over his words in his rushed explanation.
Constance's eyes widened in alarm, refusing to accept that Mildred was in trouble less than six hours after she had left her, but Wolf's distress seemed genuine. "What's happened? Is she safe?" she demanded, already reaching for her cloak. "Goddamn it, Wolf, tell me that my girl is safe!"
"I don't know! I haven't anything to do with this, we haven't spoken in weeks" Wolf explained, wringing his hands. "But she said she needed you and she couldn't contact you fast enough so she rang me instead. She sounded upset though, so come on. Please, hurry!"
Despite her misgivings, Constance felt a surge of protectiveness, for she couldn't ignore someone in need, especially when it came to Mildred. She quickly grabbed her boots and followed the untamed boy out into the cold night. The wind howled around them as they hurried down the path, the moon casting a pale light over the wet landscape.
Wolf led her through the winding paths and into the village, the urgency in his movements supporting his story. Constance's thoughts raced as she followed, the wind biting at her cheeks and tearing at her cloak as her heart ached for Mildred.
After what seemed like an age, they approached a large, dimly lit cobblestone house, right next to the farm on the other side of the village. Holding open the heavy door, Wolf motioned for her to enter, frantically looking around the courtyard as he did so. "She's inside, Miss Hardbroom. The phone is in the back room."
Constance stepped inside, her senses on high alert as she pushed past the boy. The house was eerily quiet, and the only light came from a flickering oil lamp in the corner as another harrowing realisation hit her - everyone was asleep. It was incredibly late at night which could only mean one thing, something strange was going on back at the school. She moved toward the back room, her nails digging into her palms so tightly that they drew blood as she did so.
"Mildred?!" She cried, picking up the phone as it lay loose, hanging from its box by the chord. "Mil, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
However, no response came despite how much Constance tried. The line was dead, and no matter how many times she fought to redial the number, the phone would not work.
"Help me! Why isn't it working? Where is Mildred?" Constance questioned in panic, fidgeting with the phone so intensely that she failed to notice Wolf's uncharacteristic change in demeanour.
"I'm sorry, Constance" he responded anxiously. "But I cannot help you."
Turning around in horror, Constance finally realised that something was wrong. "What the hell have you done? And how do you know my name...I didn't tell you my damn name."
"Please…please don't hurt me...she forced me to befriend Mildred...she made me do it! Mildred did ring me but then she stopped me as I was going to get you…" Wolf cried, trembling as he tried to exit the doorway and make a run for it.
"WHO MADE YOU DO IT? WHO STOPPED YOU?" Constance yelled, moving towards him at lightning pace, loosing all her composure as she reached out her arms to pin him against the wall.
However, just as she reached the doorway, a pair of strong hands grabbed her from behind, a firm grip closing around her throat. Constance gasped, struggling to free herself, but the grip only tightened, cutting off her air as she choked, a feeling she was all too familiar with after the last ten months.
"Hello, Constance," a cold voice whispered in her ear. "So nice of you to join us. I see you've met my nephew, the son of a warlock by the way, not just a peasant farmer. Although spineless, he does prove rather useful. Now get out, Wilfred!"
Constance's eyes widened in shock as she recognised the voice - a voice that should still be tucked away in bed at the academy - Elena Ravenscroft. "What…what do you want?" she managed to choke out, tears streaming down her face from the burning sensation enclosing around her throat.
Miss Ravenscroft's grip tightened momentarily before she released Constance slightly, just enough for her to breathe but not enough to set her free. "I want you out of the way, Constance. Permanently. You've meddled in our plans for too long."
Constance glared at her captor through the hallway mirror in front of her, every muscle tense with defiance for she had been suspicious of Elena all along. "You won't get away with this."
Miss Ravenscroft's smirk widened as she dragged Constance towards the centre of the room, pulling her hair and breathing into the nape of her neck almost seductively. "Oh, but I already have. You see, everyone at Cackle's believes you're safely resting at home. No one will suspect anything when you don't return. You simply don't matter enough."
"Mildred will. I matter to her."
"You think she will, but she won't. Not now." Elena scoffed cruelly. "Do you not see? All this time, I've been building it, and I've been building it for you."
"WHO ARE YOU? TELL ME WHO YOU ARE. TELL ME WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" Constance screamed, managing to catch her voice back as Elena relaxed for a few seconds, protective anger filling her when Mildred was mentioned.
"While it is true that I do go by Elena Ravenscroft now, you know me under a different name..." she smirked, before she immobilised Constance, throwing her onto the floor with a sickening thud as she moved gracefully to the mirror on the wall, her reflection flickering in the lamplight. She gazed at herself for a moment before raising her arm, murmuring an incantation. The air around her shimmered, and Constance's eyes widened as she watched the transformation unfold.
The fiery hair and delicate features of Elena began to shift, melting away like a mask. Her hair darkened to a deep, glossy black, cascading over her shoulders. Her skin took on a richer, more olive tone, and her eyes darkened to a piercing, almost black hue, a complete contrast to her emerald ones. Her features also sharpened, becoming more angular and intense. The gentle, somewhat unassuming appearance of Elena Ravenscroft was gone, replaced by someone far more formidable and familiar.
"Do you recognise me now, Connie? You never did get the hang of magical deception, did you?" the woman asked, echoing Mistress Broomhead's cruel words for her voice was now deeper and dripping with a cold, vindictive edge.
Constance's breath caught in her throat. She knew this woman, she knew her very well indeed, but she thought she was long gone. "Raven," she spat, her voice hoarse, the name slipping from her lips like poison.
'Elena' laughed, a sound that sent chills down Constance's spine. "So, you do remember. It's been a long time, hasn't it? I didn't think you would."
Constance's mind raced back to her college days, to the fierce rivalry she had with Raven under Mistress Broomhead's tuition. She remembered how they had both been top of their class, always competing, always at odds, but for Constance, it had become something much more than simple competition. Their quarrels had been legendary, but so had their passion, for there was a deep, undeniable attraction that simmered beneath the surface. Raven had been brilliant - ruthless, but brilliant - willing to do whatever it took to get ahead, and to Constance's own dismay, she had found herself slowly obsessing over her.
Looking around the farmhouse at current, Constance tried to look away from Elena to push everything out, but intense, uncontrollable flashbacks from her days at Weirdsister came flooding back to her. She recalled the many books and scrolls that were pushed aside as Raven had pinned her against the walls and tables of the library, the way she could be found in Raven's dorm room, the candles casting a soft glow over their bare skin, breathless and sated, their limbs tangled. Raven's head often rested on Constance's chest afterwards, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on her skin. Constance had felt a rare sense of contentment back then, a connection that went beyond the physical - until she broke her heart. In the end, Raven had purposely weakened her to impress Mistress Broomhead and get ahead. Constance had never expected to see her again, let alone like this.
"You're looking a little flustered there, Connie" Elena teased, bending down to grab Constance's chin, forcing her to look into her eyes.
"What do you want, Raven?" Constance demanded again, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides.
Elena's eyes glittered with malice. "Revenge, Constance. Revenge for what you've done. Revenge for who you are. You always were her favourite, weren't you? Her prodigy. The one who could do no wrong, while I was left to struggle in your shadow no matter what I did to prove myself."
Constance glared at her, anger flaring despite her predicament. "Struggle in my shadow? You were awful to me! You lied, you cheated and you manipulated your way through college, just like you've been doing throughout your sessions. I struggled because of you and Mistress Broomhead, not the other way around, and it almost killed me. How dare you turn the blame on me! Do you think I asked for it? Do you have any idea what Mistress Broomhead did to me? What she was capable of?"
Elena's smile faded, replaced by a cold, hard expression. "Of course I know what she was capable of - Hecketty was a powerful, brilliant woman, so don't you dare act like you were the only one who knew her! I adored her. I needed her approval just as much as we all need air to breathe, but I never got it. So, after I left Witch Training College, I went to London to study art therapy and counselling, before I joined the Witches Guild as a healer. I joined to gain Mistress Broomhead's attention, for I couldn't live without her, and eventually I got close to her, so she let me in on her work, but still, it was always about you. Hecketty chose you, every single time, she could not let you go. You were smarter, prettier - weaker! So she chose you, never me, and you were entirely ungrateful for it."
Constance struggled, but Miss Ravenscroft's hold was unyielding. "You have no idea what you're talking about, you have no idea what she was like! She didn't care about anyone, she tortured people. She stamped out their light and soul until they could not bear to continue anymore."
"Liar!" Elena spat down at Constance, only to be met with another statement that caused her eyes to flash with hatred.
"Truth or lies, Mistress Broomhead is dead and you cannot deny that. She isn't going to care about you anymore now than she did when we were at college, so why are you doing this?" she demanded, her voice laced with anger. "What is the point?"
"BECAUSE YOU MURDERED HER!" Elena screamed, backhanding Constance across the face before she could defend herself. "You murdered the woman I love, so in turn, I am going to murder you. I tried to turn you and that wretched brat you adore against each other in hopes that you would do the job for me and top yourself, but she just had to figure it out, didn't she? Still though, I ruined your mental health to a point where Cackle was unable to keep you safe in that awful school, so it all fell into place perfectly, for you are exactly where I need you right now. You're a threat, Constance. And threats must be eliminated."
Before Constance could react, Miss Ravenscroft raised her hand, casting a painful spell that left Constance floored. Her heart pounded in her chest as she realised the gravity of her situation. She was completely at Miss Ravenscroft's mercy. Constance's mind raced, desperately trying to think of a way to escape, but the binding spell held her firmly in place. "I am no threat. I got away. She did not break me.
"Exactly! You got away with it for far too long. Mistress Broomhead tried to break you down for years after you escaped, concocting that sophisticated plan with Mildred Hubble, but it didn't work because your love for her was too strong, and in the end, it killed her instead" Elena explained, tears forming in her eyes. "I was the only one she entrusted with finishing the job, for she truly believed she would be finishing it herself, but no matter how much I tried to continue with her plan, your bond with that girl was unbreakable, so if I cannot use her, then I shall simply end you myself instead Constance Hardbroom, and it is going to start at the place where it all began."
As Elena moved closer, Constance felt a wave of despair wash over her. She had to find a way to warn Mildred and Miss Cackle, but for now, she was at the mercy of her enemies, her fate uncertain. Before Constance could protect herself, Raven raised her arm and struck her across the temple. The world spun, and pain exploded in her already fragile head before Constance staggered, her vision blurring as she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
'Remember, it was her who taught us how to appear out of thin air" Elena cackled, almost as if she was reciting a motto. Then, unbeknownst to Constance, she grabbed her around the waist before transferring them both from the room, in the exact way that only those taught by Mistress Broomhead had mastered.
A/N - Thoughts:
1) I didn't go into detail with the whole Wolf connection as he's very much a side character, but you could assume that Elena forced him into this after finding out he lived near Con, and that was the reason why he decided to approach Mildred in the first place. I don't think he would have wanted to hurt her or understood what Elena was trying to do. She probably filled his head with lies so I can't really bring myself to hate him.
2) Cannon HB was definitely in love with some academic rival at school...whether that be 2017 hicsqeak or someone entirely unknown from the 1998 series, I can picture it so clearly!
3) I promise we will get a proper apology from Amelia at some point because I know her relationship with Constance was quite popular in my last story. Con and Mildred will also be reunited in the next chapter. TBH, I don't really care much for this chapter, it was more of a filler for the plot line :)